I decide that he doesn’t need the dirty details of everything yet. What he needs are the essentials. I can tell him the rest later, but right now he needs to know the basics. And those basics are that Paul, for whatever fucking reason, orchestrated that run, and our guys’ bikes were stolen, and they could have died.
“Everyone’s safe now?” Bullet asks, but I can tell he’s asking through gritted teeth.
“Me and Flop are sitting outside the back of the vineyard. Girls, Shocker, and Screamer are being looked after by Scar and the clubwhores.”
There is another moment of silence, and then he bites out afuck. “This was a test.”
“Yeah, I got that. Just don’t know why or what,” I state.
“And now he’s married to Lainey. That fucking little prick.”
I could kill him. It would be great, but that wouldn’t look favorable to a whole room of people in fucking tuxedos and ball gowns. And then there’s the fact that Lorenzo is in there. We can’t kill another one of his men, even though we don’t claim the first.
“Is she married?” I ask. “Because I don’t think the courthouse is open today, and I’m pretty sure not a goddamn thing has been filed.”
“I’m going to get Paul and Lorenzo alone in a room. I want you to get Lainey out of here.”
“Say fucking less.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
VIKING
Jerkingmy chin toward the exit, I look over to Flop. He’s focused on the door as well. He’s ready as fuck for whatever is coming. He is also nice and worked up, pissed the fuck off because he was locked and abandoned inside the back of a fucking box truck. I don’t blame him. I would be ready to shoot first and ask questions later if I were in his shoes.
“You ready to go in?” I ask. “Bullet is dealing with politics, and I need to get Lainey out.”
Flop flicks his gaze from me to the exit, then back to me. His lips curve up into a grin, then he lets out a chuckle. I can tell he’s getting ready to say some fly shit. I start to tell him to shut the fuck up, but he doesn’t continue. Which is probably only because he’s fucking ready.
I watch as he throws the door to his car open, unfolding before he starts to make his way up to the back door. I almost have to jog behind him to keep up. He’s goddamn focused. Which I’m here for. If this doesn’t solidify his position in theclub, I don’t know what will. I’ll even take full responsibility for him after this shit. He’s ready to be patched.
Following behind him, I reach for my gun, slipping it out of my shoulder holster. I haven’t had to use it often, as my position doesn’t really call for that. I’m all about maps and leading the way.
I usually leave the firepower for the others, but I’m not afraid to, and I would be fucking delighted to use it on Paul.
Flop tries the door, and thankfully, it opens. He holds it for me. He’s going to be my backup, which is fucking great, because I don’t think my anxiousness could handle him walking in front of me.
I have to be in charge of this shit.
And I have to be the one who gets Lainey.
I walk through the hallways, making my way toward the music and the sound of voices in the distance. I stand in front of a door, and the sounds of the wedding are louder as I place my ear against it, listening.
I really fucking want to burst through there and take my woman for myself. I try to hear her voice, but I can’t make out any distinct ones aside from some being male and some being female. I know I need a little patience, though. But I only have the capacity of alittle.
Reaching for the doorknob, I twist it before I open the door slightly, careful not to make too much noise or show. My gaze scans the room. It’s full of people, all sitting at tables. Nobody even notices that I’ve opened the door, let alone slipped into the room. I don’t even need to be careful. I’m pretty sure I could start shooting, and I don’t think anyone would give a fuck.
Flop glides in behind me, and we both hug the walls even though I doubt we really need to. Nobody’s focus is on us. They are chatting with one another, then I realize nobody is looking at the front of the room.
I do something I know I shouldn’t. Sliding my gaze over the room, I look at the front, and that’s when I see them. Paul and Lainey are at a table alone together. I expect to see them talking to one another, their heads bent as he whispers all the things he’s going to do to her tonight, because that’s what I would be doing if I were in that seat.
Instead, Lainey is staring at her plate, her eyes not even blinking. But the asshole’s focus is to the side, staring at a table. Shifting my attention over to that table, I press my lips together in a thin line. He’s staring at Lorenzo’s pretty younger wife. And she is staring at Paul with a huge smile on her face.
What the fuck?
Now I wonder if what Paul did was because he was trying to get Lorenzo out of the way a lot sooner than God intended for it to happen. Like, maybe he wants us to take him out because we think he made the call to steal our bikes and fuck with our guys.
Holy fucking shit. I cannot believe how goddamn cold this fuck is. And also, how the hell Lorenzo got two pieces of shit under him, one he birthed and the other he fucking placed there, I do not know.